The Author's Corner

Summary:

When you’re writing a book, songwriting is probably one of the farthest things from your mind. How could they possibly be related?

In this episode, Robin is joined by an award winning songwriter and author, Kevin Griffin, who says the two are not only related, but deeply intertwined. 

In a riveting discussion, Kevin shares how his experience in songwriting influenced how he wrote his book. They discuss the power of brevity, and his inspirational legends, both in literature and song. He shares key lessons he learned and invaluable pieces of advice that apply to both songwriting and writing a book, or any other piece. 

Key takeaways:

• How songwriting influenced his book
• The power of brevity
• The artists and works that inspired him
• Key advice for young writers
• How to use others’ work to inform your own
• The “crockpot” approach to writing
• The key to collaborating 
• And more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
• Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson, MD
• The Go Getter, by Peter B. Kyne
• Reading Like a Writer, by Francine Prose
• Scrivener Software

About Kevin Griffith:

Kevin Griffin is an award-winning songwriter, producer, and performer whose songs have sold in excess of eighty million copies and been streamed over a billion times. He is best known as the singer and founding member of the platinum-selling rock band, Better Than Ezra. He has written numerous #1’s and had songs performed by artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, Sugarland, Dierks Bentley, Christina Perri, Hunter Hayes, James Blunt, and many more. He is a co-founder and partner in Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival located in Franklin, Tennessee, and has served as a writer-in-residence at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Music. Griffin lectures internationally on creativity to groups and companies ranging from Live Nation, Google, Spotify and Disney to Nike, YPO/WPO and Salesforce. In his book, The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life, Griffin uses a fictional narrative to share ideas that can be used by anyone, anywhere, to transform their career and their life.

Summary:

As artists, we’ve taken a sacred oath to tell “the truth,” in one of its many forms, but how do you know what the Truth (capital T) really is?

Like art, truth is often subjective. But if you take this commitment to the truth seriously, and are willing to go to the hard, emotional places where it lives, then you will end up with a piece that not only speaks to your audience, but uncovers your true essence. 

In episode #115 of The Author’s Corner, Robin speaks to Katie Love, an artist who strives to use emotion and curiosity to uncover the truth in every piece (and have a few laughs along the way). Katie shares how writing her memoir helped her learn the truth about her past in ways she never expected and why she encourages other artists to do the same to tap into their emotional core. They discuss many aspects of being a writer, including how Katie uses the hero’s journey in everything she writes - from novels to nonfiction to copy writing!

Key takeaways:

• The role that writing played in Katie’s early years
• What she learned about herself by writing her memoir
• The importance of curiosity in writing
• How her background in acting has contributed to her writing, and vice versa
• How the hero’s journey applies to nonfiction (even copy writing!)
• What you can learn from the Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer
• The best way to learn about characters (and people)
• Insight into Katie’s writing schedule
• The gift of tapping into your emotional core
• Katie’s fear of success as a writer

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• TV series, Dark Shadows
• Tell Yourself a Better Lie, by Marisa Peer
• Katie’s memoir, Two Tickets to Paradise, from Cult to Comedy
• Katie’s novel, Cubicide
• Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer

About Katie Love:

Katie Love is a writer-comedian, writing coach, and producer living in Los Angeles. She is the author of the memoir, Two Tickets to Paradise, from Cult to Comedy, which recently won the comedy category for the National Indie Excellence Awards. She is also the author of the novel, Cubicide, and L.A. Artists, a collection of interviews featuring some of L.A.’s award-winning artists. Katie is currently hard at work on her new novel and slinging jokes in preparation for her solo show, The Everything Room.

We each have to make thousands of decisions every day—what to wear, which route to take, what to eat for lunch, which books to read. When you’re writing a book, you can expect to add another hundred decisions to your day. What time of day should I write? Should I research more or dive into writing the content? Should I edit as I go or finish the whole draft first? 

While making decisions is often tough, it can be easier when you know what kind of decision maker you are. With this knowledge, you can gain insight into the kinds of decisions you are probably going to make in the future, and find your most efficient path forward. 

In episode #114 of The Author’s Corner, Robin is joined by Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, who has identified five decision maker types, which she calls Problem Solver Profiles (PSPs). We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each one, and how you can use them, not only to make better decisions, but also to strengthen your personal and professional relationships. Cheryl also shares how your PSP can relate to problems you encounter in writing. 

Key takeaways:

• How to know if your inner voice is lying to you
• The truth behind our cognitive biases
• The five Problem Solver Profiles and examples of how they manifest in the real world
• How knowing these profiles can build stronger relationships
• How to hunt like a cheetah
• Why Cheryl went from journalist to entrepreneur
• And more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Cheryl’s Tedx Talk: When Your Inner Voice Lies to You
• Cheryl’s books
• The AREA Method
• AREA Cheetah Sheets

About Deborah Johnson:

Cheryl Strauss Einhorn is the founder of Decisive, a decision sciences company that trains people and teams in complex problem solving and decision-making skills using the AREA Method. AREA is an evidence-based decision-making system that uniquely controls for and counters cognitive bias to expand knowledge while improving judgment. Cheryl developed AREA during her two decades as an award-winning investigative journalist writing for publications ranging from The New York Times and Foreign Policy Magazine to The Stanford Social Innovation Review. Cheryl teaches at Cornell University and has authored three books Problem Solved: A Powerful System for Making Complex Decisions with Confidence and Conviction, about personal and professional decision-making, and Investing In Financial Research: A Decision-Making System for Better Results about financial and investment decisions. Her new book about Problem Solver Profiles, Problem Solver: Maximizing Your Strengths To Make Better Decisions, was released in March 2023. 

Summary:

Before you write one word of your book, or even begin to build your outline, there’s one thing you need to figure out: your “why.” 

The answers to this question might not be the same for everything you write, so “WHY?” is a question you should be asking at the outset of every single book project you begin. 

In episode #113 of The Author’s Corner, Robin is joined by Deborah Johnson, who has a different “why” for each of her six books. They dive into the reason behind each of her books, and discuss some of the best reasons to write and book, and some of the not-so-great reasons. Finally, Deborah reveals her secret to overcoming writer's block. 

Key takeaways:

• How writing song and musical theater compares to writing a book
• How asking “why” for each book grew her purpose
• The importance of asking “why”
• Why she decided to write an allegory 
• Legitimate and non-legitimate reasons to write your book
• How to give your mind a break

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Deborah’s books
• Deborah’s podcast, Women at Halftime
• Halftime Institute 
• Their book, Women at Halftime
• Dolly Parton’s memoir
• Hero Mountain Summit

About Deborah Johnson:

Deborah Johnson, M.A. has not only written multiple books and albums, but hundreds of songs, three full-length musicals and is the producer of the popular podcast, Women at Halftime. Deborah is the author of six books including, The Summit: Journey to Hero Mountain, and her most recent, Stop Circling: Steps to Escape Endless Roundabouts. She relishes the creative process and has focused on helping those at mid-career or the halftime of life maximize their skills, talents, and resources to make their second half better than their first. Deborah was past president of the National Speakers Association, Los Angeles and has written & produced multiple online courses.

With over 2- years in the entertainment industry and up for multiple GRAMMY Awards, she's built multiple self-driven businesses and is an expert on how to constantly reinvent yourself in a gig-economy.

When you walk into Barnes & Noble, one of the biggest sections you find is the Health and Nutrition section. Thousands of cookbooks line the shelves, with at least ten for each lifestyle. 

It’s overwhelming enough for readers, but as an aspiring author in the health/nutrition industry, you might be wondering, how will you stand out?

In episode #112 of The Author’s Corner, Robin is joined by Kristel de Groot, co-author of Your Super Life, who may have cracked the code on how to make her book stand out. Kristel shares how she structured her book so that it not only stood out, but made the content more reader friendly than most books in the health/nutrition space. They also dive into the triggering event that made her go from an entrepreneur to an author. Finally, she offers valuable insight into the marketing strategy that she and her husband/co-author Michael used to promote their book. Plus lots of nutrition tips along the way!

Key takeaways:

• Advice on how to heighten visibility and influence of your business
• Insight into how Kristel decided to structure and frame the book so that her ideas presented in a fresh perspective
• The triggering event that inspired her to go from entrepreneur to author
• What it was like to write the book in partnership with her husband, Michael
• The marketing strategies that they used to make their book a success
• Plus lots of nutrition tips along the way!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dr. William Li’s latest book, Eat to Beat Your Diet
• Kristel and Michael’s newest book, Your Super Life: 100+ Delicious, Plant-Based Recipes Made with Nature's Most Powerful Superfoods
• Kristel and Michael’s podcast

About Kristel de Groot:

Kristel de Groot is half of the powerhouse team behind Your Super, one of the biggest superfood brands in the U.S. and Europe. When Kristel’s partner, Michael, was diagnosed with cancer at age 24, she started experimenting with the possibilities of using food as medicine. Using organic superfood and plant protein mixes to help boost immunity and overall health, the company has quickly spread across six continents and 60+ countries. Your Super has helped millions of people to change their lifestyle and feel better with the power of plants.

Kristel is a nutrition coach with certifications in plant-based nutrition from eCornell University and IIN. Kristel has been named among the 30 Under 30 by both Forbes and Inc Magazine, and has been featured in a dazzling array of media, from Forbes to Cheddar TV, InStyle, Well + Good, The Doctors, and Good Day L.A.

As a woman, mom, and female founder, she is advocating that true diversity is about celebrating the differences between women and men in the workplace. She introduced the moon day policy where women get 1 day per month when they have a period to do what they can - from canceling their meetings to taking the day off. Kristel and Michael recently published their newest book Your Super Life: 100+ Delicious, Plant-Based Recipes Made with Nature's Most Powerful Superfoods and host a popular podcast by the same name.

Memoirs are among the most difficult books to write. How do you tell your life story so that your readers are enraptured every step of the way? And how do you make the reader feel connected enough to keep their interest, when the entire book is about your story?

Though the book is about your life, you still need to be telling it for a reason. You need a central message to send to your reader, and then you use your most compelling life stories to illustrate it.  

In episode #111 of The Author’s Corner, Robin is joined by her longtime friend and client, Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, to discuss the noble reason that he wrote his memoir, and what he learned from putting it all on the page. Dr. Ignarro shares some of the fascinating stories that he includes in the book, from a curious child of immigrants who liked messing around with explosives to winning the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and eventually contributing to the creation of Viagra. 

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of nitric oxide (NO) and the outcomes of Dr. Ignarro’s discovery (including the science and story behind erectile dysfunction and the creation of Viagra)
• Why he decided to write a memoir
• A sneak peek at some (but not all!) of the best stories that Dr. Ignarro tells in his memoir
• What Dr. Ignarro learned from writing his memoir
• And the exciting next step for his story…

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Dr. Ignarro’s memoir, Dr NO: The Discovery That Led to a Nobel Prize and Viagra
• The film, A Beautiful Mind

About Dr. Louis J. Ignarro:

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Ignarro studied chemistry and pharmacy at Columbia University (1958-1962) before earning his PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota (1966). In 1968, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in chemical pharmacology at the NIH. Some of his notable discoveries include the benefits and uses of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes vascular smooth muscle, lowers blood pressure, improves blood flow, prevents stroke and myocardial infarction, is the mediator of erectile function and responsible for the action of Viagra, and is responsible for the action of nitroglycerin. Dr. Ignarro has received many awards for his work, including the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with Robert F. Furchgott and Ferid Murad, “for their discovery that nitric oxide acts as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.” A prolific scholar, Dr. Ignarro has published numerous articles and books, including his memoir, Dr NO: The Discovery That Led to a Nobel Prize and Viagra. He is the founder of the Nitric Oxide Society and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.

There’s no one way to achieve success with your book. Success might look different for everyone; it depends on your goals, and why you chose to write the book in the first place. Though success differs, most authors find their success utilizing similar strategies. As an aspiring author, the best way to find your unique road to success is to learn from the authors who came before you. And the guest in this episode will give you a complete 360° view of all that it took her to succeed. 

Robin sits down with Keisha Blair, author of Holistic Wealth Expanded and Updated: 36 Life Lessons To Help You Recover From Disruption, Find Your Life Purpose and Achieve Financial Freedom, and founder of the Institute on Holistic Wealth. In this conversation, Robin and Keisha discuss the viral article she wrote called, "My Husband Died at Age 34 and here are 40 Life Lessons I Learned from it" and how it was the seed that eventually grew into her book. Keisha shares some of her insights from the writing process, such as deciding what information to include and what to leave out. She also reveals how she was able to land some very influential endorsers for her book, such as Arianna Huffington and actress Kelly Rutherford, who wrote the foreword for Holistic Wealth.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• How an article posted on Thrive Global eventually reached 50 million views and became the catalyst for Keisha's book.
• How Keisha was able to secure endorsements from Arianna Huffington and Kelly Rutherford.
• How to reach out to the right people for book endorsements.
• Why her seemingly "instant" bestseller was actually the result of nearly a decade of work.
• And much more...

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Keisha's LinkedIn

Holistic Wealth Book

Holistic Wealth Workbook

Keisha's Website

Institute of Holistic Wealth

Holistic Wealth Podcast

About Keisha Blair:

Keisha is a wife, mother of three, author of Holistic Wealth Expanded and Updated: 36 Life Lessons To Help You Recover From Disruption, Find Your Life Purpose and Achieve Financial Freedom, and founder of the Institute on Holistic Wealth. She is a trained economist, with extensive experience in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Her career began working on economic development projects sponsored by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. Keisha was a senior economist working in economic development and corporate finance, working on several federal budgets. She was part of the Prime Minister’s delegation to the World Economic Forum in 2018 as well as the East-Asia (ASEAN) Summit in Singapore. She is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University’s John. F Kennedy School of Government.

One of the most essential components of writing a book that people want to read is the ability to tell a great story.  

While storytelling is often described as an art, there is a science to it as well, and our guest today is here to help you make your stories more engaging and inviting for your audience.   

In this episode of The Author's Corner, Robin sits down with Richard Newman, an award-winning expert in leadership communication and storytelling, as well as the author of You Were Born to Speak and Lift Your Impact. During the episode, Robin and Richard discuss self-publishing his first book, and how it provided lessons and insights that helped him with his second book, published by McGraw Hill. They discuss the importance of tying science and technical writing to personal experiences that an audience can relate to. Richard also shares some insights into the challenges of taking material that's been taught on a stage and putting it into book form.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• How Richard discovered the science of storytelling.
• How his first self-published book paved the way for his second book.
• Determining the 'hero' of your story: Who are you writing this for?
• Why Richard chose to self-publish his first book.
• And much more...

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Richard's LinkedIn

Lift Your Impact book

You Were Born to Speak book

Body Talk

About Richard Newman:

Richard is an award-winning expert in leadership communication, storytelling and influence, and has worked in advanced communication since 1995. He specializes in showing leaders how to speak with greater impact and influence. He is regularly featured on BBC London Radio and is the author of the best-selling book You Were Born to Speak. Richard’s clients include CEOs, Vice-Presidents and leadership teams across many industries. He began by teaching English as a foreign language living in a Tibetan monastery in India. He then studied professional acting in London for three years, working as an actor on stage and screen, while continuing to study communication skills. In 2000, Richard founded Body Talk and began working with a well-known Formula 1 team. His team at Body Talk has now worked with over 75,000 clients from 46 countries around the world.

No matter what genre you’re writing, good research is critical, particularly when you’re writing an investigative piece. And in many cases, the greatest tactic for research is interviewing people. But being a good interviewer takes time and practice. You have to develop the skills and learn how to read people to get the information that you need.

In this episode of The Author's Corner, Robin sits down with a seasoned interviewer and author, Keith Mason. Thanks to a long career interviewing artists and stars such as Jerry Garcia and Monty Python and four decades in public relations, Keith had the opportunity to develop his chops as an interviewer, a skill that would one day culminate in the fascinating investigative narrative about the once-unsolved murder of his grandfather. His book, Please Stand Up, is a journey to discover the father Keith never knew, and the killer who murdered his grandfather. They discuss the process of interviewing some of the biggest names in entertainment and how a great interview requires being more human in conversation. Keith also reveals his “golden rule”: to never put anything out in the public that will hurt anyone.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• The benefit of asking 'off-topic' questions in interviews.
• The process of investigative writing, from research to interviewing.
• Keith's biggest challenge when shifting from short- to long-form writing.
• How Keith presented his findings to his family and aging mother.
• And much more...

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Keith's website

Please Stand Up book

About Keith Mason:

Keith’s years of storytelling began with music and cultural observation in Philadelphia newspapers, interviewing dozens of top artists from Jerry Garcia and Phil Collins to George Carlin and Monty Python. In 1978, the writer began a nearly forty-year career in public relations, nonprofit development and the performing arts, including stints at Drexel University and the Kimmel Center (home of the Philadelphia Orchestra) and for elderly and disability services. Some of his most satisfying work came at a major addiction recovery center as the opioid crisis unfolded in the early 2000s. He created and taught a senior writing course at Temple University. After years of telling the stories of others, Keith wrote his own tale, Please Stand Up, a story he never expected to experience, much less write.

Success can be a double edged sword; when you meet or exceed your goals, the first thing you feel is a rush of elation and pride. But often, right around the corner is a lurking sense of anxiety, stress, and fear. 

Authors feel this sensation at many points in the writing process. You manage to get the manuscript drafted, but you worry it might not connect with readers after it’s published. You publish it and it’s a massive success, but what’s next? How do you follow up a bestseller? What if you can’t do it again?

If you’ve felt sensations like this, but didn’t know how to describe it, Laura Gassner Otting has the perfect word for you: Wonderhell. 

In this episode of The Author's Corner, Robin sits down with best-selling author, keynote speaker, and executive coach Laura Gassner Otting, to discuss this common feeling of self-doubt, stress, and even fear that come up when we encounter an amazing opportunity or achieve success. It seems counter intuitive, but successful people wrestle with this feeling all the time. Laura's newest book, Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn't Feel Like It Should... and What to Do About It aims to help readers navigate this strange experience. Laura also gives some insight into her writing process, such as the importance of sharing your own story, walking the fine line between inspirational and relatable, and how the content for Limitless took twenty years to experience, and six weeks to write.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• Why Laura believes there's no endpoint to success, there's just a waypoint to what else we can do.
• Why imposter syndrome is often more intense for writers.
• The fine line between being inspirational and being relatable.
• Why Laura wants wonderhell to be in the dictionary.
• And much more...

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Laura's website

Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life book

Laura's Instagram

About Laura Gassner Otting:

Laura’s secret superpower is seeing your greatness and reflecting it back on you, so that you can get "unstuck" and achieve extraordinary results. A frequent contributor to Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, Harvard Business Review, and Oprah Daily, Laura’s 30-year resume is defined by her entrepreneurial edge. She served as a Presidential Appointee in Bill Clinton’s White House, helping shape AmeriCorps; left a leadership role at respected national search firm to expand a tech start-up; and founded, ran, and sold her own global search firm, partnering with the full gamut of mission driven corporate and nonprofit executives. She is the author of two books, Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life and Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn't Feel Like It Should... and What to Do About It.